Board hits the road, holds meeting in McAdoo

The Schuylkill County Commissioners took their public meeting on the road Wednesday this time traveling to the most northeastern section of the county.

The meeting was held in the borough council room of McAdoo and they had their best turnout of interested citizens since they started the road travel. It took the commissioners longer to travel to the meeting site from their quarters in Pottsville then the meeting, which took only 16 minutes.

Luckenbill Brothers Paving Inc., Schuylkill Haven, was hired for paving and related work on the parking lots at Rest Haven Home and Hospital in North Manheim Township. The cost is $67,269.

The commissioners renewed a fee for service agreement with Alere Toxicology Services to provide the adult probation department with drug testing supplies, laboratory testing, shipping, test confirmation, and result reports. The contract is for one year ending Aug. 31, 2013.

An agreement with NHS Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, for medical assistance transportation program services for clients that need transportation to their summer and school year autism programs. The rate will be $14 for a one-way trip under 10 miles and $15 for a one-way trip over 10 miles. The contract is for one year ending June 30, 2013.

Other business

Two purchase of service agreements were entered with companies on behalf of Children and Youth Services Agency.

The contracts are with Kidspeach National Center, Schnecksville, to provide intermediate foster care at $66.95, for administrative fee at per unit rate at $40, successful referral at a per unit rate of $1,000 and successful conference at per unit rate at $2,000. The second agreement is with Language Line Services, Monterey, Calif., for Spanish calls at per rate of 75 cents and calls in other supported languages at $1.10 per unit.

Coal leases were renewed for one year with two coal companies.

Mountaintop Coal Company, William C. Vought , principal owner, to strip mine on county held land in Barry and Foster townships and Blackwood Mining Company, Charles Cress and Russell White, principal owners, to strip mine on county held land in Reilly and Tremont Townships.

Mountaintop paid $4,687.99 in royalties for the past year and have paid in to date $203,820.52. Blackwood paid $4,272 the past year and to date $31,523.88. The county receives a royalty payment of $3 for each ton of coal mined.

Personnel matters

The commissioners approved the hiring of Crystal Moser, West Penn Township, as social services aide 2 with the Children and Youth Services Agency and the salary board fixed her salary at $12.5369 per hour.

The Office of Senior Service announced the retirement of George Seiler, Auburn, as a deputy director and also the transfer of Travis Yeager, Pottsville, from county caseworker with the Children and Youth Services to aging care manager I at $13.94 per hour.

Clerk of Courts Stephen Lukach announced promoting Stacie Stoppie, Pottsville, from clerk III to second deputy at $19.06 per hour; District Attorney Karen Byrnes Noon announced appointment of Attorney Keith Hoppes, Tower City, to be a part time assistant district attorney at $22,061.

All three commissioners, Frank Staudenmeier, chairman; George Halcovage, and Gary Hess, Controller Cristi Joy, and Treasurer Jacqueline Russell, were in attendance with about 19 spectators.